Both the USA and Europe limit access to care by undocumented immigrants (‘irregular migrants’ or IMs). In the debate over what level of access to confer to IMs, there are various public policy rationales operating either explicitly, or below the surface, ranging from minimalist humanitarianism to full cosmopolitan equality, with several intermediate positions between these two poles. This article informs the international debate by providing a conceptual mapping of these underlying policy rationales. Each position is based on different lines of reasoning or bodies of evidence, and each leads to somewhat different conclusions about the extent to which IMs should have access to different types of health care.

It is unlikely that broad consensus will be achieved in this ongoing debate. However, by articulating the ethical, legal, pragmatic and conceptual reasons to support or oppose various positions, we hope to help determine where in the landscape of reasoned argument various positions lie, and how each position might be best supported or refuted. In particular, we see in this debate an illustration of Michael Walzer’s classic analysis of competing spheres of justice. Various positions depend to a considerable extent on whether their advocates approach this issue from the health policy sphere rather than the sphere of immigration policy, or whether they attempt to blend the two spheres.

Mark Hall, JD Professor, School of Law and Faculty member of the Graduate Program in Bioethics at Wake Forest University commented on an article by Elisabeth Rosenthal in the SundayReview of the New York Times, dateline 2 May 2015.

Effective risk communication is essential in clinical care, biomedical research and public health. Yet there are numerous barriers to communicating risks in ways that patients and research subjects can readily understand and use in making health care choices. This presentation will explore the importance of effective risk communication, identify common challenges that professionals confront in communicating risks and propose strategies to improve risk communication.

Almost three years ago, students in Lord’s virology class came up with the idea of creating “Dining Dilemmas: Bioethics in the Pre-Health Professions.” Held once a semester, it’s a program that is sponsored by the Center for Bioethics, Health and Society and designed to encourage students, especially those planning a career in health care, to talk about medical ethics.

Dr. Gunderson oversees spiritual care services for patients, families and staff at WFBMC. He also nurtures the relationship with more than 4,200 Baptist congregations throughout North Carolina and other large networks of our patients’ faith groups. He became involved in public health by working with former President Jimmy Carter in Atlanta. For a decade, he directed the Interfaith Health Program at The Carter Center. For the next seven years, he served as senior vice president of the Faith and Health Division of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare in Memphis, Tenn., where he helped develop a new model of congregational health, FaithHealth, that achieved measurable improvements in the health of patients in Memphis congregations, including significantly increased longevity, lower mortality and a nearly 40 percent longer time before readmission. The FaithHealth model of care is now underway here in the Triad adapting to the distinctive opportunities and historic challenges.

“In the early 1990s, visionary futurist Terence McKenna hypothesized that two seemingly disparate modalities of consciousness alteration and extension—drugs and computers—might ultimately converge. If he were still alive today, even Terence might be surprised at the accuracy of his assessment.”

At Convocation on Thursday, 19th February 2015 Dr. Ana Iltis, Associate Professor of Philosophy received the URECA Faculty Award. In addition to teaching, she serves as the Director of the Center for Bioethics, Health and Society. One senior, who first met Professor Iltis as a first-year student, said, “I have grown as a researcher, writer, and student. The horizons of my education have been expanded and my boundaries of study stretched. None of this would have been possible without Dr. Iltis’ mentorship. Her unique outlook on the topics she teaches combined with her willingness to assist and encourage have afforded me opportunities I otherwise would have never had.”